The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae

I was lukewarm on her EP, but I love what I've heard from the album so far. Looking forward to listening to the whole thing. Her performance on Letterman the other night was amazing.

Started listening to this last nite and I can't stop!

Mesmerizing. This is genre-changing stuff. Not sure I'd even categorize it as a R&B album. It's an exuberant amalgamation of a variety of styles. And it rocks defiantly more often than not. 'Come Alive (The War of the Roses)' oozes a thirsty desire for bone-crushing swagger. I might've been crawling toward the ceiling by the time that one came on.

The Beatles comparison is apt. The delicate touch apparent in the production and instrumentation demonstrates a keen awareness of atmosphere, melody, and rhythm and soul. Monae's voice on 'Mushrooms & Roses' evokes the ghost of Lennon.

DaveB, take a listen to 'Make The Bus' featuring Of Montreal if you haven't already. Think you'll go apeshit over it.

Ok, I'm gonna throw this out there, going by my gut...this is a genuine masterpiece.

I haven't actually grabbed the album yet (SHAME!), but I've been a fan since the EP, which I liked, but maybe didn't love. In concert, though, she cannot be defeated. I saw her open for Gnarls Barkley a couple of years ago, and MAN. Little lady gets down like the lovechild of Prince and Bjork and Andre 3000, or something.

Sadly, I missed her recent shows at a small bar here (and Big Boi showed up at one of them), but I did get to see her and the band do 3 or 4 songs on Record Store Day at Criminal. Even with a bad speaker, it was great. A friend and I ended up talking to the guitarist, Kellindo, in the alley after that show, and he's kind of a trip. Very friendly guy.

I'm hoping that her appearances at Lilith Fair(e?) this summer really help her blow up in some mainstream ears.

I need to track down that Letterman performance-- I forgot to record it.

What an absolutely fantastic album. Addictive as well. Parker's comment of it being a journey is spot on. It's a journey I can't/don't want to stop taking.

Good to hear. Loved her performance on Letterman as well.

I was planning on getting this for my wife's birthday this week, so I'm glad to hear all of the positive buzz on here.

Yeah, the rave about the Letterman performance on another site made me seek out the album. Incredible work, it may become the most important black pop record since Speakerboxx. It kinda has the same feel to it as the Santogold album from 2008, in the blending of black & white electro-rock styles. But this one's a much stronger album as a whole, where Santogold's was 'merely' very good (it had a couple of fillers). I think the difference may be the link with black pop heritage (Motown & Parliafunkadelicment being the most obvious).
Apart from that, the lady's a awesomely impressive performer. One question though: is her star already rising in the States? Over here in Europe, no one has heard of her yet, and her summer tour only takes her to a couple of festivals, usually in a package deal with Erykah Badu. Which will limit her to the stowaway stages on stupid afternoon hours, I'm afraid. Same thing happened to D'Angelo when Voodoo was out- incredible performer (from what I could tell on video), but just played a couple of festivals, never got the chance to shine, and most people had the wrong impression from that 'How Does It Feel' video (i.e. 'typical R&B macho man'). The album didn't do nearly as well over here as it did in the States.

I would say that the buzz is pretty darn good right now in the US. The track with Of Montreal is giving her good traction with a broader market, I think. They are playing it on XMU (XM's indie rock station).

The music to 'Sir Greendown' is just stunning. 'Wondaland' NEEDS to be a single. Such a feel-good tune---so fresh, so clean, so vibrant.

I love the use of Claire de Lune in Say You'll Go.

The album is just downright addictive. And I checked out the EP to get a more complete picture of her style, and it's pretty cool to see exactly where she honed & evolved on the way to ArchAndroid.

Cold War, Faster, and Mushrooms & Roses are probably the ones I double back for the most often.

Here's hoping Bad Boy Records & Diddy don't rob her of her style on the way to the inevitable Suite IV.

Fantastic stuff. And it's cute to see Letterman seem genuinely impressed.

I've got an incredible amount of love for this album.

This has been out for over a month and it easily contends for the album of the year. There is really no way to categorize her music (iTunes says R&B) because she sounds like OutKast on one track, then switches to something from the 20's, all while screaming out her lungs on the next track. It is that varied. The glue that holds each song together is her strong voice and amazing production (co producers are credited to Big Boi from OutKast and P. Diddy among others). It doesn't make or break the album but this is a concept album where Monae is communicating to the listener from the future thus adding a bit more mystique to the sound. Another charming part of the album are her liner notes where she states the exact inspiration for each song such as lil Ze from City of God, the blue of Luke's lightsaber, and Jack White's mustache. She is really something special so check her out.

Top 4 songs:
The mournful "Oh, Maker" sounds like something Lauryn Hill would have made had she stayed the course after Miseducation. Monae's vocals are that strong, especially here.
Oh, Maker

"Sir Greenwood" is a nod to Salvador Dali, according to the liner notes, and it shows in this surreal piece that sounds like it's from an era long gone.

Sir Greenwood

"Come Alive (War of the Roses)" is a punk/soul hybrid that works fantastic.

Come Alive (War of the Roses)

"Cold War" has an OutKast vibe going for it but again her vocals and melody outshine the music by a mile.
Cold War

How the FUCK did I miss this?

Seriously, I only found out about her about 2 weeks ago when I heard she was opening for Erykah Badu and the album more than exceeded my expectations. Did you get the album yet, Martin S?

Cold War is my theme song right now.

I'd heard that was in the works. Very pleased to see it's a full-on tour (with a date in my town!) and not just a few joint appearances.

I love the album. not a huge RnB fan, but this on eis superb.

Too bad that tour won't be coming in Montreal....

This album is a blast. If only all mainstream pop was as creative and colourful as this stuff. Possibly too eccentric to be as big as it should be, more's the pity.

Just picked up this album over the weekend after stumbling across her work on "Call The Law" (thanks Chud forums!).

Holy moly, this album is stellar.

Easily the most fun, exciting and mesmerizing album I've come across in a long time. And somehow, even with its epic length, I keep coming back for return trips through the whole damn thing again and again.

Definitely going to keep an eye on this girl.

I guess I should get this.

:/

Just watched the Letterman clip. I'm totally buying this.

HOLY SHIT, THIS ALBUM.

She's going to be on Prince's next tour.

Copied from Pitchfork's twitter feed:

Prince announces U.S. tour with Janelle Monáe. "Bring foot spray, because it's going to be funky."

So I should check this album out? I'm not the biggest R&B fan but I like surprises.

As not even a casual fan of R&B, I fully endorse this album.

Ditto. Only had a chance to hear half the album so far, but it's the goods.

Nina Simone would fucking love this album, it's absolutely epic. The orchestral suites are simply gorgeous, it's such a refreshing change to actually hear something this ambitious from modern R & B and pop, the music soars at points and others becomes incredibly intimate, 'Say You'll Go' is an incredible ballad, 'Dance and Die' 'Faster' and 'Locked Inside' are a perfect 3 song combo, great uptempo dance numbers, I wouldn't be surprised if any one of them became dancefloor classics.
Parker's right, this album takes you to places and back again, the only other musician who can create this feeling with me is Pat Metheny.

Janelle is a massive James Brown fan so it's not surprising to see her copping his moves in her live performances, this is one hell of an album though. I'm sure Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera are all paying very close attention right now.

'Dance or Die' ----> 'Faster' is one of the greatest segueways ever.

I'm sure Beyonce and Aguilera are, at least. Beyonce's sister, Solange, and Monae are both on the new Of Montreal, and both seem to similarly observe possible cross-over opportunities between R&B and experimental pop (and Solange has managed to drag her sister and brother-in-law to some shows you'd think outside their respective wheelhouses). Aguilera, on the other hand, seemed to be aiming for an R&B/experimental electronic pop hybrid on her new album (with help from Le Tigre, M.I.A., etc.), but, by most accounts, failed. Monae probably put out the album she wishes she'd made.

I concur...until 'Faster' goes into 'Locked Inside'

The first four songs of the album brilliantly and relentlessly set a pace full of energy and then suddenly takes a glorious left turn into 'Sir Greendown.'

This album really takes you on a ride, to sound cliche, but few albums are able to have that effect.

What I LOVE about 'Dance or Die' ----> 'Faster' is the way Monae uses the main back beat of 'Faster' on 'Dance or Die' starting around the 1:53 mark in such a subtle way, buried in the background of all of that production. Then once the segue actually happens that back beat becomes more prominent and then the feeling of sheer ecstasy hits you.

I say you have a good point. Monae seems to have captured the perfect balance between modern and old school.

I have to say, Locked Inside is my favorite of the opening 3 hit combo, that Nile Rodgers 80's funk groove is perfection, I swear it could've been recorded back then.

The only popular genre I hate more than R&B is reggae and still, if 2010 produces an album I love more than The Archandroid, 2010 will have been one the best music years of my life.

I've been harrasing my friends about getting it and they don't believe. I'm buying two LPs as gifts to convince them and spread the gospel.

There should be a national law created that bans the use of the words R&B and Janelle Monae in one sentence. Her music is too expansive, unique, and celebratory of genre-hopping that the R&B tag is almost an insult.

This is my favorite album of the year, hands-down. Haven't listened to anything as much as this. I think I've cranked this disc out at least 2-3 times a week since its release.

Her scream towards the end of Come Alive is just incredible, half punk, half soul sister, she holds the note for what seems like forever.

I've gotta see her live. I just GOT to.

Yeah, same here.

She's at the Palladium next Saturday with Of Montreal, and I, of course, already have plans. Alas.